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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25819465">New Life</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemoncatfox/pseuds/Lemoncatfox'>Lemoncatfox</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Broken Bones, Gen, Injury, Its not stated but roy and riza live together, fma spoilers, maes and trisha are the edwin kids, reborn selim still has his powers but doesnt know why</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:47:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,929</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25819465</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemoncatfox/pseuds/Lemoncatfox</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>8 years later, Selim Bradley meets a few other kids.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Selim Bradley sat on the chair out in the courtyard. Mama said that the usual company on weekends would be arriving soon, and this time they would be bringing their children.</p><p>Selim never hung around much when they were over, the eight year old preferring to run around the garden and play with the mysterious shadows he was capable of emitting. That was a thing, those shadows. Selim was a strange being, having unique powers that no one else at his home was capable of performing.</p><p>The news of kids meant he could have someone around his age to play with this time. He wasn't allowed to leave his home, not yet. Selim has heard his Mama and a dark-haired man talk about him when they thought he wasn't listening. For now, Selim wasn't able to leave home, but they were considering the possibility of letting him explore when he was older.</p><p>Bringing himself out of his thoughts, he began to flop around his sleeves. For the occasion of actually interacting with someone who wasn't a guard or his mother, he was wearing a gray suit and tie, which was slightly big on him.</p><p>"Mama," Selim rested his head on the table, kicking his legs as he turned to his mother. "When are they supposed to arrive?" </p><p>Mrs. Bradley put her paper down, turning to look at her son, adjusting her vision when she realized she was looking too far up.</p><p>It's been years since her son was reborn and she still looks at him as if he's the height of a 10 year old. Though, he's 8 now, so soon he'll be that height again.</p><p>"In a few minutes, dear." She responded, brushing his bangs back, revealing the node on his head.</p><p>A guard interrupted the two's conversation, informing her that the company had arrived.</p><p>"In fact, they're here now." Mrs. Bradley got up before Selim could ask anything else, running after his mother after a few moments as she walked off.</p><p>Winry Rockbell and Gracia Hughes were standing at the front door, 3 kids standing in front of them.</p><p>Mrs. Bradley opened the door, Selim standing shyly behind her, holding on to her dress-thing she was wearing. His bangs were covering his node again, but Winry was still filled with an uneasy feeling, despite knowing he wasn't going to do anything bad. She brought her kids this time, she knows he won't.</p><p>Mrs. Bradley gestured them inside.</p><p>"If you ladies would follow me to the usual place. The kids can follow my son to the courtyard to play."</p><p>Technically, they were going to the same place, but while the adults were going to a table in the shade, the kids were just free to explore the yard to its fullest extent.</p><p>Currently, Selim was still bringing them out, running to the door much faster than his mother and her company.</p><p>Once they were out, they all sat in a circle.</p><p>"So, what are all of your names?" Selim asked.</p><p>A taller girl, around age 12, was the first to speak. "I'm Elicia Hughes." </p><p>Hughes… that name sounded familiar, but Selim couldn't figure out why. He's never met her, so what's with the familiar feeling? And it wasn't to her, but to someone else?</p><p>Selim snapped out his thoughts as a smaller boy spoke, ignoring Selim's blank expression. His black eyes brightened as he turned his attention to him.</p><p>"I'm Maes Elric. This is my sister Trisha Rockbell." The boy said, patting his sister on the head as he mentioned her name. Selim thought he saw an uneasy expression on Elicia's face, but was distracted by the boy's last name.</p><p>Elric. It too was familiar to him, as was his first name. Did he read about a Elric in the paper? No, he couldn't read all that well. Did any of the people who came over to talk to his mother mention an Elric? He's pretty sure Maes and Trisha's mother has talked about him, but that's a given. He was her husband.</p><p>"Hey! Kid!" </p><p>Selim was snapped out of his thoughts by Elicia waving a hand in his face. He'd gone silent and blank, eyes fading to a dull purple (though no one believed they saw that last part).</p><p>"Huh? Oh, sorry. I'm Selim Bradley." He responded, looking down.</p><p>"Wait, your name is Selim? Are you named after the old Fuhrer's son? The one who died?" Maes asked. "You look like him, we learned about him at school."</p><p>"I'm not named after anyone. I'm the only Selim." He responded in confusion. He was never told that there was a Selim who died, as he's the very same Selim.</p><p>"You can't have been. Your mom is the old Fuhrer's wife! Her son died." Maes replied, scooting both his sister and himself backwards as ink black shadows slowly moved towards him. Trisha stared at the floor, watching for a source as her brother changed the subject. The other two didn't notice that the source was the kid who Maes was yelling at, and judging by his blank expression, he didn't realize it either.</p><p>"Hey, hey, let's calm down." Elicia put a hand on Selim's back, and Trisha watched the shadows fade back into him.</p><p>Elicia and Maes stood up, before Elicia shoved Maes down playfully. When Maes realized that she was just playing, he pushed her back.</p><p>Trisha did not join them, instead tugging on Selim's over-sized gray sleeve.</p><p>The homunculus looked down at her, tilting his head as she looked up at him.</p><p>"Did you need something?" The tone of his voice made Trisha a little bit nervous. There was still some annoyance in his voice from his argument with her brother.</p><p>"Do you have juice?" She asked, still tugging on his sleeve.</p><p>Selim thought for a second, before heading inside, gesturing for her to follow.</p><p>"Yeah, I think so. Come on."</p><p> </p><p>Inside, Selim and Trisha looked up at the cabinet that held the cups. It was taller than both of them, and Selim didn't want to risk his mother coming inside to see him on the counter or chair.</p><p>However, he had a plan.</p><p>"Trisha! Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you." Selim looked down at her as he spoke. He was going to use his shadows to get her down a cup, but no one was supposed to know about his shadows aside from his mother and himself.</p><p>He wasn't aware that Trisha had already seen them.</p><p>Trisha did as she was told, covering her blue eyes, but still peeking through them, the older child not noticing.</p><p>The inky shadows seeped from under Selim’s shoes, traveling up the counters and opening the cabinet, wrapping around a cup and carefully bringing it down.</p><p>Selim took the cup from his shadow when it brought to him, tapping the child’s shoulder to get her attention.</p><p>“Okay, Trisha, you can open your eyes.”</p><p>Trisha did as she was told, hoping that Selim hadn’t noticed her peeking.</p><p>“The juice is in the fridge. Do you need some help pouring it?” He asks as the two head for the fridge.</p><p>Trisha shook her head. “I got it.”</p><p>Selim nodded, leaning against the cabinets behind him as he watched Trisha. The shadows poured out from underneath him, covering almost all of the floor, aside from the area around Trisha.</p><p>Neither had noticed.</p><p>Trisha put the juice up and turned to Selim, waving to get his attention. He was wearing the same dull expression he had before, his eyes the same purple.</p><p>Had she not imagined his eyes being purple before, then?</p><p>Selim snapped out of whatever trance he was in, his eyes returning to their original black as the shadows returned to… wherever they came from.</p><p>The kids returned outside, Selim sprinting to where his new friends were, while Trisha walked as to not spill her juice.</p><p>“What have you guys been doing since we went inside?” Selim asked Elicia, who glanced around and held up her hand.</p><p>“We’ve been playing Hide and Seek.”</p><p>“Can we play?” Trisha asked, finally catching up to Selim.</p><p>“Sure. Once you finish your juice, you can find us.” Maes appeared out from behind a tree.</p><p>The three kids sprinted off as Trisha downed the rest of her juice.</p><p>“I’m done! Here I come!”</p><p> </p><p>Selim giggled quietly from his hiding place in a tree. He was in one of the highest trees on the property, and had gotten up there due to some good tree climbing skills he had gained from spending 8 years stuck in one spot with no contact to the outside world aside from the occasional visits. Selim was high enough that one would be concerned if he had fallen.</p><p>He’d probably be too if he didn’t know he would be fine.</p><p>Selim watched from above, watching the tiny blond speck of Winry’s youngest roam around the yard below. Time passes, and she’s joined by a slightly bigger golden figure. Later still, an even bigger brownish haired figure.</p><p> </p><p>It’s been a few hours, and it’s time to go home. However, there was a problem.</p><p>They still haven’t found Selim.</p><p>He was still in the tree, unknown to the others, and had started to fall asleep after the kids ran off to find their mothers.</p><p>Sleeping… sleeping…</p><p>Slip.</p><p> </p><p>CRACK!</p><p>Trisha arrived first, finding the source of the noise to be the missing Selim, lying on the floor in pain. Holding his arm in his mouth, his now very noticeable sharp teeth visible, he stared up at Trisha, his eyes bright purple, his body faintly sparking red.</p><p>He removed his arm, struggling to sit up. Selim glanced up, spotting the others arriving.</p><p>Mrs. Bradley lifted her son up, holding him close. </p><p>“You should go home now. Selim will be fine.”</p><p>She shooed the others out, still assuring them about Selim. He wouldn’t be fine if they didn’t leave, so it was important that they did.</p><p> </p><p>Selim was sitting up in his bed, one arm folded over his body as the other hurt too much to cross his arms. He had just been in a one sided conversation with his shadows, which were stretched all throughout the room.</p><p>His mother had left him some cookies, and a note that the required materials to heal him were being gathered (he felt the note unnecessary due to his lack of reading ability).</p><p> </p><p>The next time Winry, Gracia, and their kids visited, which was the next weekend, they were surprised to see Selim healthy and playing in the yard like he hadn’t fallen out of a tall tree and broken several bones just last week.</p><p>They’ll never know, hopefully.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Outside</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Selim finally leaves home.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It has been 2 years since Selim met his new friends, and by now he's started to slip on keeping his powers a secret. Sometimes Elicia would catch a glimpse of his shadow behaving oddly, or Maes would get yelled at for something he did that no one saw him do, save for the thing he swear he saw moving on the floor.</p><p>And of course none of them let him forget about the day they met, where he fell out a tree and broke several bones, but was perfectly fine the next week.</p><p>Selim, who was now 10, the same age he appeared to be before he was reborn, would always have some sort of excuse for it, but as time went on he was making mistakes.</p><p> </p><p>His mother opened the door to his room one morning to wake him up. She had news to tell him, and waited for Selim to sit up before she spoke. </p><p>"Good morning, dear. I've got news for you."</p><p>Selim stretched and turned to his mother.</p><p>"What is it?" He sounds like how he did before he was reborn.</p><p>"I've been talking with the Fuhrer, and he's agreed to let you attend school." Mrs. Bradley smiled.</p><p>Selim seemed like he was a regular child most of the time, and he had been pretty good at hiding his powers besides an occasional slip up, and it's not like he's tried to kill anyone.</p><p>"Really? That's so cool!" Selim hopped out of his bed, nearly tripping as he ran outside.</p><p>His mother found him standing by the gate that separated him from the rest of the world his whole life, staring out to the other side.</p><p>"When do I start?"</p><p>"Next week. You'll be a few weeks late." </p><p>Selim stuck his arms out of the gate.</p><p> </p><p>Next week came, and his friends arrived to walk him to school. Selim was wearing the gray suit, it no longer being a tad bit too big for him. Infact, it fits perfectly. His bangs were covering the mark on his head (though that was unintentional). He ran out the door, wishing his mother goodbye without stopping, or hearing her call for him as he forgot the lunch she packed.</p><p>"Woah, calm down Selim. School isn't that interesting." Elicia, who was now 14, held up her arm in front of her, smacking him on his forehead, knocking him down. </p><p>When he sat up, his eyes were purple, like how they were when he used his powers. But he wasn't using them right now. Selim shook his head, eyes fading back to black.</p><p>"You might think that," Selim stood back up, dusting himself off. "But may I remind you that this is the first time I'm ever leaving my house?"</p><p>"You've never left the property?" A 8 year old Maes asked. "That's sad."</p><p>Selim glared at him. There was a perfectly good reason as to why he couldn't leave until now, but not even Selim knew the full story.</p><p>"Are we walking there?" He then asked, turning to face Elicia again.</p><p>Elicia nodded. "Golden Boy here said that his dad would've driven us, but he turned out to be busy."</p><p>"Good. I prefer to walk anyway." Selim pushes the gates open, and walks out.</p><p> </p><p>The journey to school was way more difficult and annoying than before, due to Selim going off track multiple times to look at grass, greet people who ignored him, or chewing on some random thing he found in the street while the others weren't looking.</p><p>At one point, Trisha, who was now 6, watched him eat an entire stick, and was completely confused by his actions.</p><p> </p><p>Finally at school, Selim was told to go see the principal by Trisha, and then led there by her as he reminded her that he's never been there before.</p><p>The principal then brought him to his classroom, interrupting the schoolwork the kids were doing.</p><p>"Class, this is Selim Bradley, the adopted son of the late fuhrer. He will be attending this class for the rest of the year."</p><p>Selim frowned as the principal spoke. Did they really need to tell the class that he was adopted or that his father was dead? They should already know that Bradley was dead. It didn't need to be said again.</p><p>"Well hello Selim! You can sit in the back there, and I'll get you a couple of papers so you can catch up."</p><p>The classroom was filled with quiet whispers, no doubt about Selim.</p><p>"I thought Selim had died with his dad?" or "He looks exactly like the picture in the book."</p><p>Selim wanted to punch them, but didn't. He arrived at the chair in the back, putting his new bag on his chair. The teacher gave him some papers on the early history of Amestris, which some parts felt familiar to Selim, like he's heard it before. But… he's never learned anything about history. Infact, he could barely read. His teacher was reading the paper out loud at the front of the class.</p><p>Elicia was right. School was boring, and Selim spent most of the time staring out the window instead of working since he couldn't read the paper.</p><p> </p><p>The bell rang, momentarily spooking Selim as the kids began lining up at the door.</p><p>He stopped one kid to ask what was going on, and they said that it was lunchtime.</p><p>Selim's teacher instructed him to line up with the other kids, and he did, standing at the back of the line.</p><p>He followed the kid in front of him, wishing that the hallway filled with kids was quieter.</p><p>Once they reached the lunchroom, the kids separated as some had lunches while others did not.</p><p>"Hey, Selim! Over here!" He heard a familiar voice, and walked off to the source.</p><p>It was Trisha, sitting next to her brother at the lunch table.</p><p>"Sit down with us." Maes told him, and he did.</p><p>"Where's Elicia? I thought she attended school too."</p><p>"Yeah, but not this one. She's in another school. That's why she kept walking when we went inside." Trisha responded. "Did your mom pack you lunch?"</p><p>"Oh shoot, that's what I forgot…" Selim sighed and rested his head on the table, his eyes closed.</p><p>"Hey, you can just go back in line." Maes told him. "Though it's gotten pretty long. Are you hungry?" </p><p>Selim lifted his head and stared at Maes.</p><p>"We've known each other for 2 years. When have I said no to that question?"</p><p>"Fair enough. You want my extra sandwich?" He asked, pulling it out.</p><p>Selim nodded, and took the sandwich, ripping it apart with his unnatural sharp teeth.</p><p>"So how's school been going for you?" Trisha asked Selim, looking up at the homunculus.</p><p>"It's kinda difficult when you don't know how to read." Selim responded, staring ahead blankly.</p><p>"You… you can't read? Why didn't your mother teach you before getting you enrolled?" Maes asked.</p><p>"I don't know. Maybe she forgot? It's not like I needed to read anything until I got accepted into school. I'll tell my teacher when I go back."</p><p>"Your teacher doesn't know? How does she not know?" Trisha asked, packing her trash into her bag to throw away. </p><p>"Easy. I didn't tell her. I didn't tell anyone."</p><p> </p><p>Selim was hesitant to tell his teacher. Maes hadn't left him alone for it on the way back to class, playfully mocking him while his sister ignored him. Easy for her to do, she wasn't the one being made fun of.</p><p>"Hey, teacher?" Selim quietly approached her desk as the other kids glanced up before returning to their reading.</p><p>"Yes, Selim?" She looked up at him.</p><p>"I'm having trouble with the assignment." </p><p>"How so?" </p><p>"I can't read it."</p><p>"Is it too complicated?"</p><p>Selim shrugs. "I don't know how to read."</p><p>His teacher looked at him weird. </p><p>"You can't read? Why not? Didn't anyone teach you-"</p><p>"I just can't, okay?" Selim's eyes were a dull purple. He had just had this conversation with Maes. He doesn't need a repeat on it.</p><p>"I'll have you keep you after class so that I can teach you." She sighed and gave him a book and colors. "Here's a few sheets of paper. You can draw on it for now."</p><p> </p><p>Whatever pages he doodled on he kept.</p><p>Maes and Trisha waited outside the classroom while Selim was beginning to learn to read.</p><p>They're starting with basics, small words and learning the alphabet. Selim, being easily distracted, wasn't paying much attention.</p><p> </p><p>Once the lesson was finally over, Selim left the room, proud to announce to Maes that he knew how to sorta read (he could still barely read but Maes didn't need to know).</p><p>They went to Elicia's school, where Selim told her about his extra lessons after she questioned why he took so long.</p><p>"Why couldn't you-"</p><p>"Shut up!"</p><p> </p><p>They talked about their school day, and went back to Selim's house until Winry and Gracia picked up their kids.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Lost</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Selim goes on a trip.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A 12 year old Selim stood with his classmates, preparing for his class' trip. He was shifting back and forth on his heels, before he was stilled by a hand on his head.</p><p>"Gosh, Selim, impatient are we?"</p><p>Selim looked up above him.</p><p>"Elicia?"</p><p>The now 16 year old Elicia was standing beside him, her hand ruffling his messy black hair.</p><p>"I'm here to watch over you. Uncle Mustang's order." Elicia removed her hand, hanging it loosely at her side.</p><p>Mumbling arose from the students around them, until a particularly short student (though still taller than Selim) approached the duo, tugging on Elicia's shirt.</p><p>She looked down at the younger child.</p><p>"Why did you call the Fuhrer your uncle?" The child asked her.</p><p>"Oh, uhm, my father was really close friends with him back when he…. When Uncle Mustang was a Colonel." Elicia explained. Her hesitation was from almost saying "alive" when referring to her father, so changed it to be referring to Mustang.</p><p>The child eyed Selim, before looking back at Elicia.</p><p>"Is that why you know him?"</p><p>"Oh, yeah, it is. My mom regularly visits his mom."</p><p>The conversation ended as the students were led to the place where the trip was at.</p><p>"We're walking there?" Elicia asked on the walk, staring up at Selim's teacher as she held her hands on Selim's shoulders.</p><p>"Yes. Shouldn't take too long. Maybe a hour and a half."</p><p>"With the exception of me and you, everyone is 12."</p><p>There wasn't a response after that.</p><p> </p><p>Soon, Selim started trailing behind (Elicia had let go of him at this point and the two fell to the back), so Elicia paused to see what was up.</p><p>"I need a break." Was the answer. That wasn't the truth. Selim had noticed the other kids getting tired and thought that he should act like he was. He wanted to act like the others.</p><p>"You can't have a break. Hmm. Do you want me to carry you?" Elicia offered. "You aren't that big."</p><p>"Hey!" Selim hissed at Elicia's laughter, his shadows fuzzling around his feet.</p><p>"It's true! You're the smallest person here!"</p><p>Selim didn't respond, instead huffing as he accepted Elicia's offer to carry him.</p><p> </p><p>"The shadow's are weird." Elicia commented as they walked, paying attention more to them than the rest of the class.</p><p>"No they aren't. They're completely fine." Selim responded quickly, as those were his shadows he was supposed to be keeping hidden. But they were also the only source of entertainment on the walk.</p><p>"No, look at them. Moving unnaturally, twisting and turning like they're alive." Elicia glanced back to Selim as she commented that they'd make good scary story fodder.</p><p>She noticed his bright purple eyes, but made no comment. It wasn't until they got into a darker area did they notice that they had lost the class.</p><p>Elicia dropped Selim without any indication she was going to, staring at their dark surroundings.</p><p>"It was about noon when we left, right? It must be really dense around here." Elicia stared up at the trees.</p><p>Selim nodded, folding his arms as his shadows wouldn't be visible in this darkness.</p><p>"Yeah. When did we lose the others?" He asked, staring up at his friend who nearly jumped.</p><p>First Selim's eyes were purple, and now they're faintly glowing red!</p><p>"What's wrong with you, Selim?" Elicia mumbled, as Selim started wandering off. "Hey, come back here!! You're my responsibility!"</p><p>"I'm hungry!" He yelled back.</p><p>"Well I don't have any food!" Elicia called after him, and he responded that he was going to eat a stick.</p><p>Elicia grabbed Selim by the shirt collar like a cat once she caught up with him, sighing as she yanked the stick out of his hand. </p><p>"Your mother doesn't want you doing that, remember? You don't want to disappoint her, do you?" Elicia smiled as she knew she won.</p><p>Selim sighed. "No, I don't."</p><p>"Why don't you try to sniff them out?" Elicia suggested.</p><p>Selim paused to try it, but stuck his tounge out. "Forest is too dense."</p><p> </p><p>Obviously, the problem didn't go away with time.</p><p>Selim wasn't going to disappoint his mother though, so he didn't eat anything, even though he really wanted to.</p><p>"Let's rest here. It's gotten much darker, so I assume it's nighttime." Elicia sat down next to a pile of sticks that Selim had gathered from the surroundings. She took the lighter Havoc had lent to her and set it on fire, keeping the two warm in the cold forest.</p><p>"Do you think they noticed we were gone?" Selim asked as he watched his shadow flickering with the flames.</p><p>Elicia didn't respond, simply lying on her back, staring up at the trees.</p><p>"Well, goodnight then." Selim did the same, though his hunger was preventing him from falling asleep soon like Elicia had.</p><p> </p><p>Luckily he had managed to fall asleep, was still sleeping when he was poked in the cheek.</p><p>His immediate response was to bite whatever had been jabbing him in the face like that.</p><p>"Ow, Selim! What was that for??"</p><p>"Elicia? Oh. Right. Forest." Selim sighed as he sat up, staring at the burned out fire, still smoking.</p><p>"Still so dark in here. Must be a denser part of the forest then. I don't even know if it was night. Could be night now…." Elicia stared at the trees again, huffing. "Come on, Selim."</p><p>"I'm coming, I'm coming." Selim responded, annoyed.</p><p>The two continued wandering the forest, though tried to make the best of the situation, like climbing trees and running through the occasional river.</p><p>However, they had to be careful as it was dark.</p><p>They came to a rather quick moving river.</p><p>"Race you to the other side!" Selim laughed, already wading into the water when he slipped and fell into the lake, hitting his head rather harshly on a rock.</p><p>When Selim fell, Elicia immediately ran to him, though unable to swim meant that she was easily overcome by the quick current.</p><p> </p><p>Next thing she knew was that she was on the other side of the river, a sharp pain suddenly making itself known on her arm.</p><p>"Ow… what happened?"</p><p>"You passed out in the water and I rescued you. Then I kicked you in the arm repeatedly to try to wake you up." Selim responded.</p><p>Elicia was confused. Selim had been hit hard enough in the head to be knocked out, yet here he was, pulling her out the river in perfectly good condition. Reminded her of the tree incident from back when he was 8. </p><p>She hadn't imagined it either. He was rubbing his head, which had small sparks around it while his eyes were still glowing faintly.</p><p>There were some questions she needed answers to next time she visited her uncle. His hair was slicked back from the water as well, the mark on his head clearly visible. She's seen it before, but never felt like it was a good time to question him about it.</p><p>"Are you going to get up or do you want me to kick you some more?" He asked, annoyed.</p><p>Elicia sat up, shaking her head. "No, I don't. What's wrong with you?" She repeats her question from yesterday, but it's more audible and Selim is actually able to hear it.</p><p>"Nothing's wrong with me! What's wrong with you??" He suddenly stood up, still dripping in water. Both of them were.</p><p>Selim started walking again, causing a still coughing Elicia to quickly chase after him.</p><p>"Hey, wait, don't go! I didn't mean that!" Elicia grabbed him and forced him to turn around. "Selim. Look at me."</p><p>Selim looked away. Elicia grabbed his face, once again forcing him to look at her. "Selim."</p><p>Elicia had a tone Selim had only heard her use when calling Maes by name instead of a nickname. Her reasoning behind this they still didn't know.</p><p>Selim was still mad at her though, so all he did in response was bare his sharp teeth at her.</p><p>"Stop that. You aren't a wild animal."</p><p>Selim's sharp teeth was another thing she needed an answer to.</p><p>"Selim. I didn't mean that question. I'm tired, hungry, and irritated, and I know you are too."</p><p>Selim stopped his teeth baring, but he still had an upset expression on his face.</p><p>"Let's go to bed now. Get a fresh start in the morning, okay?" She let go of him, and he stared at the floor.</p><p>"Okay."</p><p> </p><p>Like last time, they set up a fire, before lying down and falling asleep, though while Elicia could sleep (however not very well), Selim could not, his hunger keeping him up, and he didn't go to sleep that 'night' at all.</p><p> </p><p>The next 'day's Elicia found him sitting against a tree, staring at the now burnt out fire.</p><p>"Hey, sleep well?" Elicia asked, though she already knew that the answer wasn't yes.</p><p>"I didn't sleep." Selim sighed and stood up, the fire drying both him and Elicia. "Let's go."</p><p>They slowly slipped back into their adventurous attitude's from 'yesterday,' as if the final events before they slept weren't real.</p><p>They did, however, avoid any bodies of water.</p><p>Selim would hide during games, never being caught by Elicia as he would quietly move away from her by tracking her with his sense of smell until time ran out. He did the same when he was the one looking for her.</p><p>"I swear. If I wasn't worried you'd tell Mom, I would just eat the dirt. Maybe clear out the forest so that I could see." Selim growled out the last sentence after somehow failing to sense the tree in front of him.</p><p>Elicia chuckled at the 'thwack' of the homunculus hitting the tree.</p><p>"Yeah, well, I want you to be responsible."</p><p>The two walked in silence before Selim had a question.</p><p>"Hey, Elicia? Why don't you ever call Maes by his name?"</p><p>Elicia was hesitant to answer. She supposed she could tell him, after all, his father was also dead, though unlike Elicia, he never met his father.</p><p>"Well, his name is my father's name. My dad died when I was three, and so Edward, who worked with him, honored his memory by naming his firstborn after my dad. I guess he didn't think about me becoming friends with his son. His daughter Trisha is named after Edward's mom, who passed when he and his brother were around 11 and 10."</p><p>Selim didn't ask about Trisha, but it was nice to know her name origins.</p><p>"I see. Was your father a good man?" Selim asked.</p><p>"From what I remember, yes."</p><p>"Mom always said my dad was a good man. I don't know much about him, just that he was the former Fuhrer. I can only really go off from what Mom says. They don't let me read about him."</p><p>Silence once more, and Selim kept running into things, as if he was distracted by something.</p><p>"Something bothering you?" Elicia asked, looking in the direction of Selim's softly glowing eyes.</p><p>"Oh, you know. Just my endless hunger killing me." Selim deadpanned the response.</p><p>"Ah."</p><p>They came to a clearing that had a small bit of light pouring through a hole in the trees. But it wasn't sunlight, but moonlight.</p><p>"I guess it's nighttime. Let's rest here." Elicia gathered the sticks and lit them as usual, before falling asleep.</p><p>Selim watched his surroundings in the fire's light, once again unable to sleep. Some force from deep within was calling to him, yelling for him to just eat Elicia.</p><p>Selim shuffled over to her, as if he couldn't control his actions anymore.</p><p>BAM!</p><p>Almost immediately, Selim was punched in the face after he bit down on Elicia's arm way harder than any playful bite a child would give to their sibling. It drew blood, which wasn't helping the situation.</p><p>"Selim, what the hell?? What is wrong with you, and this time I mean it! Why did you do that! Gah, that hurts…" Elicia yelled, holding her arm in pain. "That wasn't playing either, that was an intentional pain…. Man those teeth…"</p><p>Selim backed up, tripping over a branch to get away from Elicia without getting lost.</p><p>"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" Selim mumbled out, hiding behind the log he tripped on.</p><p>"Gah, just. Come on. The forest is thinning out.  We're reaching the end."</p><p>"I'm sorry Elicia, it's the hunger… something… some childish voice was telling me what to do, I had no control."</p><p> </p><p>The forest was getting less dense, however it was still nighttime, so they had to be careful.</p><p>It was Elicia's turn to be mad at her friend. They were really having fun, and then that happened. It was the river situation all over again.</p><p> </p><p>Once they finally reached the end of the forest, they found the nearest bench, sitting on it til morning came. Elicia would have tried to sleep if she wasn't secretly scared that Selim would try to rip off her arm again.</p><p>Selim didn't feel like he was trusted anymore, and took it upon himself to find out where they were to regain Elicia's trust.</p><p>Course, he never told her that.</p><p>Learning from the people that were still roaming that late at night, he was nearby Central. </p><p> </p><p>When Elicia woke the next day and found Selim missing, she was worried. Yes the kid had tried to eat her, but he was still somewhat her friend, and still her responsibility.</p><p>It didn't take too long to find him though, as he had tracked her with smell and ran back to her, informing her where they were.</p><p>Someone kindly (they were more or less threatened by Selim behind Elicia's back) took them to Central, dropping them in front of the building where Mustang worked.</p><p>The two ran inside, quickly stopped by a officer who was confused on why two children (well a child and a teenager) were running in, covered in dirt and wearing dirty cloths, with the girl holding her arm.</p><p>"Where are you two going in such a rush?" </p><p>"It's Elicia Hughes and Selim Bradley. We need to see Fuhrer Mustang."</p><p>They were allowed in, practically tripping and falling as they ran into the room.</p><p>"Hey, what is this, what's- Elicia?" Mustang ran over and helped her up while Hawkeye helped up Selim.</p><p>"We've been looking for you two." Hawkeye started while sitting them down. "Where have you been? The teacher reported you two gone, and both of your mothers have been really worried."</p><p>They quickly explained that they had gotten turned around on the path and quickly gotten lost.</p><p>"What's wrong with your arm?" Mustang asked after they finished.</p><p>Elicia removed her hand. "Um, some animal bit me." She said, glancing at Selim. She wasn't sure if they were going to do anything to him had they known he was the true culprit.</p><p>"I'm going to call your mothers. Is there anything you two need?" Hawkeye stood at the doorway.</p><p>"A nap." Elicia responded.</p><p>"And food." Selim added.</p><p>Right. That must have been rough on Selim, considering his hunger was way stronger than Elicia's or any humans due to his consumption of Gluttony in his previous life.</p><p>"We'll get you something then. Till then, sleep on my couch, and we'll wake you when we get the food."</p><p>Selim was up longer than Elicia was, but he did eventually go to sleep.</p><p>This is how Ed felt, right? Being a parent? He definitely felt like one to Elicia, but he still wasn't sure about Selim. For now, he was just a sweet little kid.</p><p>A sweet little kid with a horrible past and many issues that are starting to front.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Reminder that Selim and Elicia see each other more as siblings in this au/fic.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Folders</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They sneak out.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hawkeye and Mustang had taken up the job of babysitting Elicia, Selim, Maes, and Trisha. Their mothers (and Maes and Trisha’s father) were out, taking a free night away from the kids. The two were happy to take the kids off their hands for the night, especially Elicia, but less willing with Selim. The kid had no memories but he still had that off feeling that came with him being a homunculus.</p><p>“Are you sure you’ll be okay tonight?” Mustang asked his partner, watching Elicia having a playful argument with Selim. It had been 15 years now since Hawkeye was threatened by the pretend child, and she still couldn’t be alone in the room with him.</p><p>“I’ll be fine. If I do feel like that around him, I’ll have Braha with me to dilute the feeling.” Was the response as she leaned down to lift up her dog, who had gotten bigger since then. Black Hayate was old now, as was his partner, and his three pups were now adults, still living at the home.</p><p>“That’s good to hear.”</p><p> </p><p>Now outside, the kids were playing with fake swords, aside from Selim who had fashioned a strip of shadows into a sword, disguised as a sword painted black.</p><p>Elicia soon grew tired and stopped the playfight, thinking to herself. While she did so, Selim went inside to get something to drink, soon accompanied by Hawkeye, who was getting Hayate some food, without realizing Selim was there. Hawkeye was filled with a feeling of dread as she grabbed the dog bowl, looking around the room to see Selim grabbing a cup and inspecting it, seemingly not knowing of Hawkeye’s presence.</p><p>He glanced behind him, his solid black eyes looking at Hawkeye as she stared back, completely still.</p><p>“Are you okay Mrs. Hawkeye?” Selim soon asked, looking confused as he turned to face her.</p><p>“Y-yeah, I’m fine. Just grabbing Braha some food.” She looked down at the floor, hearing soft footsteps approach her as the teen’s shoes came into view.</p><p>“How come you’re holding your cheek then?” He asked, and Hawkeye removed her hand, not even realizing it was there. Her scar from Pride had mostly faded, but it was still visible enough to be noticeable. Her neck and shoulder scars were much more visible.</p><p>“Oh, uh, no reason.” Hawkeye lied, standing up straight as she continued to look at Selim. “I’m going to feed Braha and his family now.”</p><p>Hawkeye walked out, feeling relieved as she was back in the company of her partner, even if he was asleep on the couch.</p><p> </p><p>Elicia was plotting something when Selim returned outside. It was getting late, and dark, to the point where Selim needed to use his sense of smell to help him around. </p><p>“Hey, why are you three still out here?” Selim asked, his eyes once again faintly glowing red, though he’s met with a flashlight to the face before it’s noticed.</p><p>“We’re going to sneak into Uncle Mustang’s office to see if I can find something specific. You wanna come?” Elicia responds after Selim slapped the flashlight away.</p><p>“I guess. Nothing else to do with them two asleep.”</p><p> </p><p>They snuck out, and illuminated the path to Mustang’s office with the flashlight and found their way around with Selim.</p><p>At one point they stopped, shutting the light off immediately as Selim warned them of a guard approaching. Thinking quickly about the situation, Selim snatched the light out of Elicia’s hands, turning it on and placing it behind him so that it illuminated the floor around him. The guard noticed and ran over, about to call someone to deal with the intruders when he was quickly overtaken by shadows, and soon disappeared.</p><p>Selim fell to the floor after the man disappeared, and the other three were horrified. What did they just witness? </p><p>Trisha helped Selim up, rubbing his head as he stood up.</p><p>“Hmm. My hunger isn’t as bothersome anymore.” Selim commented, before walking ahead as if he was ignoring what just happened.</p><p>Soon they arrived at the office, shining the light around as they searched for things they were never to be told, such as how Maes and Trisha’s uncle spent most of his childhood as an empty suit of armor.</p><p>Seven files were found in a section labeled “The Seven Homunculi,” something they suspected to be another thing kept from them. They knew the term meant artificial human, and while she didn’t say it, Elicia was looking for these folders specifically. Over the years she was starting to deny that Selim was the same as her.</p><p>The information on the folders were organized as follows:</p><p>NAME:<br/>
ABILITIES:<br/>
CAUSE OF DEATH:</p><p>Along with other information that didn’t fit, like that all the homunculi were siblings.</p><p>Sloth. Died from a spike created from Armstrong and exhaustion. Envy. Committed Suicide. Greed. Killed by Wrath, later killed again by his father. Wrath. Killed by Scar. Lust. Burned to death by Mustang. Gluttony. Devoured alive by his brother Pride. Pride. Reborn as an innocent child, Selim Bradley.</p><p>So it was true. Selim wasn't human.</p><p>"Well, what do they say?" Selim asked. He still couldn't read very well despite it being 5 years since he started (he wasn't one to pay attention… or remember about the after school class…) and Elicia was hesitant to give it to him for him to decipher it himself.</p><p>"It just talks about inhuman creatures from long ago. It doesn't matter." </p><p>Selim frowned. "We snuck all the way here. I don't know what happened to that guard but I caused his disappearance. I need you to tell me what you wanted these folders for." Selim's tone was cold, his voice having a quiet echo effect on it, and eyes purple despite there being no sign of his strange shadows.</p><p>Elicia sighed, repeating what she read outloud for the other 3 to hear. Elicia stumbled over her words once she got to Pride's folder. There was no denying it. There was a photo attached, a photo of Selim when he was 10, with the gray suit he wore on special occasions.</p><p>"Well? What's the last one? I assume it's Pride, given the deadly sins theme." Maes sighed, growing tired of waiting.</p><p>"Okay. I'll tell you. If you really want to know." Like the other 6, Elicia showed the photo of the homunculus before she read the file.</p><p>The other three froze as they saw the photo of Selim. None of them moved as Elicia read out Pride's folder.</p><p>"Pride the Arrogant pretended to be his brother Wrath's son, fooling his adoptive mother into thinking he was an innocent young child by the name of Selim Bradley. The first to find out the truth was Riza Hawkeye, who had been threatened by the homunculus, and she spread the news by code to Mustang, who shared it with Olivier Armstrong. He devoured his brother Gluttony, gaining his sense of smell and ravenous hunger, and was defeated by Edward Elric, reforming him into a baby, given to and raised by Mrs. Bradley." Elicia read out.</p><p>Selim held his head, upset, falling to his knees as he processed this information.</p><p>"My father was my brother...I ate another of my brothers, explaining my hunger and smell… I threatened Hawkeye… defeated by Maes and Trisha's father?" Selim stuttered out.</p><p>"Dad was the one who spared you?" Maes said, taking the folder from Elicia and reading it again. "There's a note."</p><p>Selim turned to face him. "What's it say?"</p><p>"The most powerful homunculus, but couldn't read until he was 10, and still can barely understand most things.</p><p>Selim growled. "I'm going to devour him next time I see him."</p><p>"So you aren't human. Maybe that's why your teeth are like that." Trisha commented quietly.</p><p>"Elicia. I want to go back to Mustang's house." Selim didn't look up even as he stood up. Now he knew what happened to that guard. He had been devoured.</p><p>"Yeah. Let's go." Elicia agreed, Selim leading them back out, thankfully not encountering anyone else.</p><p>Trisha was standing closer to her brother than she usually did, the 11 year old feeling a little bit frightened by her friend's past actions, even if he clearly didn't have memories of it.</p><p> </p><p>Once back, Elicia was relieved that Hawkeye and Mustang were still asleep, and had not noticed that the kids snuck out. None of them slept that night, thinking too much that their best friend was actually a monster and 15 years ago had tried to kill several people they were close with. </p><p>Despite Elicia not wanting to let their current caretakers know they snuck out, Selim was going to ask about the folder. He needed to know.</p><p>Now he knew why Hawkeye was so distant during their talk. Why his sense of smell was so much better than his friends and why his hunger (which was once again bothering the hell out of him) was so much worse. Why he couldn't be hurt and why he had those shadows.</p><p>Tomorrow they will explain it to him. Everything that he was.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Visit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Let's visit a friend</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The group were gathered around the table, eating the breakfast Elicia had prepared. It was quiet, the adults thinking of the day to come, and the kids thinking about what they discovered last night. They kept glancing at Selim, who was staring at the table with dull, purple eyes.</p><p>"Are you okay, Selim?" Hawkeye asked, pausing her task on feeding Hayate and his family to check on the teen.</p><p>He didn't respond, simply staring up at her.</p><p>"Selim?" Mustang joined in, leaning forward on the table.</p><p>"He's… he's just tired, y'know? We went to sleep late last night." Elicia lied from her spot beside Selim, putting her arm around his neck and pulling him close to her.</p><p>"Are you gonna eat at least?" Hawkeye questioned.</p><p>Selim shook his head, not bothering to push Elicia away. "I'm not hungry." His voice was devoid of emotion, and it sounded like there was an echo to it…</p><p>"But you always are." Mustang pointed out, looking at Hawkeye.</p><p>"Maybe you should talk with your mother." Hawkeye suggested.</p><p>Selim frowned. He'd rather talk about it with them, but for some reason he couldn't speak unless someone said something to him.</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>"Trisha, Maes, your mother is coming to pick you four up and take you to Rush Valley to visit your uncle." Mustang turned to face the siblings, still glancing at the dead silent Selim. </p><p>The two nodded, and before long, the kids headed outside to wait for Winry.</p><p>"Are you okay Selim?" Elicia asked, repeating the question from before.</p><p>"No, no I'm not. Who would be fine knowing what I know?" Selim responded, suddenly standing up and folding his arms. His voice still carried that faint echo.</p><p>"Maybe you'll feel better in a new place." Maes suggested, though the look he had immediately gotten in response told him that it wouldn't.</p><p>"I don't need anything." Selim growled, his arms going slack at his sides. "Elicia."</p><p>Elicia turned to look at him, confused on why he had just said her name like that.</p><p>"You were looking for those folders. Why? Why were you looking for them?" He approached her, getting closer as he spoke, the echo more and more noticeable.</p><p>"Well, I, uhm… " Elicia backed up, quickly glancing behind them as she noticed they were going into the street. "M-maybe we should get back to the yard?"</p><p>Selim only growled in response, his shadow swirling around them. Maes stayed back, holding his sister protectively, in case Selim went after them.</p><p>"Why were you looking for that folder, Elicia!" Selim yelled, his voice sounding exactly like Pride's. </p><p>The door slammed open, Selim immediately retracting his shadows as he fell to the floor, similar to last night.</p><p>"What happened?" Hawkeye and Mustang came out of the building, quickly looking between Elicia frozen in fear in the middle of the street with a collapsed Selim in front of her, and Maes holding his younger sister behind him protectively. "We heard yelling." </p><p>"He… he was asking me questions. I didn't want to answer him, I couldn't." Elicia suddenly dove to her "uncle," crying into his shirt. "Please, you have to tell him." </p><p>"Tell him what?" Hawkeye looked at her partner in worry.</p><p>"He knows about his past. You have to talk to him about it." Elicia had stopped crying, still hugging Mustang.</p><p>Mustang looked at Hawkeye, returning her worried stare with one even more so.</p><p>"Okay. We will. But right now, he needs a break. He can go with you guys, but he needs to be put to rest." Mustang responded, glancing to Hawkeye as if to tell her she needed to get Selim out of the middle of the street.</p><p> </p><p>When Selim woke up, he was in the back of a car, leaning against the window, sitting next to Trisha and Maes. Elicia was sitting upfront with Winry.</p><p>"When did I get into the car?" Selim mumbled to Trisha, who turned to look at him as he tapped on her shoulder.</p><p>"Selim! You're up! We're going to Rush Valley, remember?" Trisha responded, not actually really answering his question.</p><p>Selim stared at her, sighing as he stared ahead.</p><p> </p><p>Once they arrived, Winry helped the kids out and they headed to where Al was staying, holding Trisha's hand.</p><p>Once she spotted her brother-in-law, she waved at him with her free hand.</p><p>Al chuckled as he noticed all the kids she was dragging around with her.</p><p>"Hey, Winry." His golden eyes brightened up once he saw his niece and nephew. "Maes! Trisha! How are you two?" Al was almost knocked over by his brother's kids. "Oh, Elicia's here too?" Al asked, and she waved in response.</p><p>"Selim's here as well." Elicia responded, gesturing to Selim, who was sorta hiding behind the girl he was threatening before he passed out and lost the memories. He was still acting quiet and distant, as while he forgot yelling at Elicia in the street, he definitely didn't forget his list of crimes, including the possession of the man sitting in front of him, from back when he was a suit of armor.</p><p>"So I see now. How's it going Selim?" Al asked hesitantly, as it was obvious that Selim wasn't feeling right.</p><p>"He was passed out when I came to get them. He only just woke up before I arrived. They won't tell me what happened to him." Winry folded her arms and stared at the kids.</p><p>"Oh! Selim, I forgot. Your mother wanted me to bring you this." Winry walked over to where Selim was hiding from Al and bent down. She had a folded up red jacket.</p><p>"I've seen this jacket. It was in an old box." Selim quietly commented.</p><p>"And now she wants you to wear it." Winry held out the jacket that Selim had once used like a baby blanket. He took it and slowly put it on.</p><p>"It's a good fit for you. You're about the same size as my husband was when he was your age."</p><p>"Wasn't he really short?" Elicia questioned, trying to lighten up Selim's mood. It didn't work.</p><p>Trisha slid off of Al, tugging at her mother's shirt.</p><p>"How come his mom didn't give it to you? Isn't it Dad's?" She asked.</p><p>"Well, your father gave his mom that jacket when Selim was a baby. It's kinda important to their family." Winry answered, standing back up.</p><p>"Hey Al, could Selim stay in your room? The Fuhrer requested it."</p><p>Al nodded. "Course. You stay here, and I'll bring him up."</p><p>Al put his nephew onto the floor next to his sister, and gestured to Selim for him to follow, which he reluctantly did.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you want to tell me what's going on?" Al asked once they got into his room.</p><p>Selim flopped onto his back. "Maybe." The echo was back. "I'm not sure. You might try to attack me."</p><p>Al was confused (and the echo was making him nervous), and took a few steps closer. "Why so?"</p><p>"I know. I know what I did to you 15 years ago." Selim responded in a flat, echoed voice, staring up at the ceiling.</p><p>No wonder Selim was hiding from him.</p><p>"I… uh." Al wasn't sure how to respond. "I'm going to talk to Winry now. You get some rest."</p><p>Sure. He'll get so much rest. </p><p>Using the jacket like a blanket, Selim stared at the ceiling, before slowly falling asleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Talk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>That's not how you run away.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Selim woke the next day, he stumbled down the stairs, finding that the others were already awake and outside. He was still wearing Ed's jacket.</p><p>Winry and Al were talking, and Elicia was talking to the siblings.</p><p>Selim tapped Elicia on the shoulder from behind, making her jump as she turned around.</p><p>"Oh, Selim. You're up." Elicia sounded off.</p><p>"Yes, I am. Is that a problem?" He responded, folding his arms as he looked at her.</p><p>"No, no it's not. How was the nap? Not gonna pass out again?"</p><p>"I'm still not sure why I passed out. I didn't feel tired when I was in the car, or sometime before I woke up there." Selim sat down next to Elicia, holding his arm over the table and moving little strips of shadows across the table, but not enough for the adults to notice.</p><p>"Well, um. Might as well tell you. You cornered me into the street asking me about the folders." She explained, looking down at her hands.</p><p>"I did? I… I did." Selim's shadow strips retracted back into his arm's shadow, and he put his arm down on the table. It was coming back to him. "Did you ever tell me why you had been looking for them?" </p><p>Elicia shook her head. "No, no I didn't. You passed out before I said anything." </p><p>Elicia faced Selim, noticing that he had gone silent. His eyes were purple.</p><p>"I'm going to ask you one more time. Why were you looking for those folders?" He had that inhuman echo again.</p><p>Elicia glanced at the adults, who were still talking as if they didn't notice.</p><p>"Well, um, there were some things about you I was curious about." Elicia stumbled over her words as Selim's purple eyes stared at her. </p><p>"Like what?" He questioned.</p><p>"Well, when we first met, you fell out of a tree and broke some bones, but next time I saw you, you were perfectly fine. Or that time you knocked yourself out on a rock but perfectly fine when you dragged me out the water. Not to mention your sharp teeth and your eyes glowing in the dark." Elicia sighed, slinking forward on the table. She looked back at the adults, who now had the addition of Maes doodling on the wood while Trisha was asleep in her mother's lap.</p><p>"I see. I guess I don't seem very human when you study it." Selim frowns, tapping his fingers on the table before suddenly slamming his head into it.</p><p>This caught the attention of Al and Winry.</p><p>"Selim, are you okay?" Al asked, cutting off his conversation to look at the homunculus currently crying into the wood.</p><p>Elicia put a hand on his back, the 19 year old not entirely sure how to comfort him.</p><p>Over time she's been getting more and more scared of him, especially after he could have easily killed her in the street.</p><p>Selim soon sat up after Elicia had managed to convince the adults that she could handle it.</p><p>"Hey, you okay?" She asked the younger teen as he faced her again.</p><p>"Do I look okay?" Seems like that echo was just how he sounds now. </p><p>Elicia frowned. Despite his crying, he sounded void of emotion. "No, I guess not."</p><p>Selim stood up, walking off into the rest of Rush Valley, aiming to leave and roam the mountains without being caught. Al noticed this, and gestured for Elicia to follow.</p><p>Following Al's direction, Elicia quickly ran to the 15 year old, asking him where he was going.</p><p>"What's it to you?" He questioned, annoyed.</p><p>"Well, because you're my… friend." Elicia hoped he didn't notice her hesitation.</p><p>"Are you sure about that?" Elicia bit her tongue as she failed.</p><p>"Well, I'm sure, but you can see my hesitation on it. You don't even like yourself anymore, do you?" Elicia asked.</p><p>"I'm the embodiment of pride, aren't I? Isn't the answer obvious?"</p><p>"Well, you didn't know that until recently. Embodiment of pride or not, you clearly have a distaste for yourself." Elicia pointed out.</p><p>Selim stuck his tongue out, folding his arms.</p><p>"I'm leaving. Go home to your mother, Elicia." Selim finally told her what he was doing.</p><p>"You can't leave! What about your mother?" She asked, standing in front of the other, putting her hands on his shoulders and shaking him.</p><p>"I'm sure she'll sleep better knowing her ass of a fake son is gone." He answered, before rubbing his cheek. "Ow…" </p><p>"Bit your cheek?" Elicia asked, frowning. Owch.</p><p>Elicia released Selim and the two started walking again.</p><p>"You know I'm not a real human, right?" Selim said, referring to his being a homunculus.</p><p>"Yes, I'm aware." Elicia uncomfortably responded. "What does that have to do with anything?" </p><p>"Why are you caring so much about me, then?" Selim looked up at her. "Why not spend your care on Maes and Trisha?"</p><p>"I told you, I'm your friend." Good, no hesitation this time.</p><p>Selim stared ahead. They were almost out of Rush Valley.</p><p>"You know, Rush Valley is pretty close to Central. Why not stay with Uncle Roy?" </p><p>"Roy and his partner? Why would I do that? I've done terrible things to them in the past."</p><p>"I kinda… asked them to talk to you. About what you learned." Elicia explained.</p><p>Selim groaned, bothered that his plan to run away was thwarted. However, he did want to talk to Roy and Riza, so that was a plus.</p><p>"Alright. I guess we'll go there."</p><p> </p><p>The teens stood outside the door, neither one having the courage to knock on the door.</p><p>Eventually, Selim finally did, greeted not long after by Roy.</p><p>"Oh, there you are. Elric's brother called us saying you two ran off."</p><p>Why Roy called Al "Elric's brother" was confusing to them, but they knew what he was talking about.</p><p>There was some silence after he spoke, before Roy folded his arms and looked down at Selim.</p><p>"Elicia tells me you know about your past. Come in."</p><p>Roy could probably just kill Selim right here. Him knowing his past made him dangerous, but he couldn't really do anything without Selim doing something first. Way too many people would get on his ass for it.</p><p>The teens sat in chairs across from the couch the Fuhrer and his partner were in.</p><p>"So that stuff in the folder is all true?" Selim asked his first question.</p><p>Roy nodded, holding up his hands, the faint scars where he had been stabbed showing. "Your brother held me in place with his swords while you forced me to do transmutation, and I wasn't sure if Hawkeye was going to be okay in the long run."</p><p>Selim's expression was one of bother.</p><p>"Right. Him." Ever since he found out his adoptive father was actually his brother, Selim had refused to refer to him as such.</p><p>Roy lowered his arms.</p><p>Hawkeye pointed at her cheek. "This was when you revealed to me you weren't human."</p><p>"I read this all in the folder, you know. I don't need a play by play." He sighed.</p><p>"Speaking of Wrath, what were my siblings like? Why were they killed but I was spared?"</p><p>"Well, they're all named after the sin they embodied. Sloth slept a lot, Envy was jealous of people, and you were rather arrogant." Riza responded. "They were killed because they tried to kill us."</p><p>"I had to kill Lust because she would've killed Hawkeye and Alphonse if I didn't."</p><p>Selim quietly growled when Roy reminded him he had killed his sister.</p><p>"Greed was killed by his father, but he was killed in the process as well… Wrath was killed by Scar, Sloth died from exhaustion before he could kill Armstrong's sister. Envy killed themself out of jealousy I believe." Roy recounted each of Selim's family's deaths. "And you devoured Gluttony for reasons I don't know of. I think Elric said you needed his stone's power and sense of smell."</p><p>Selim frowned. "I suppose I can't get upset at you for killing my sister if I ate my brother, huh?" </p><p>Roy chuckled awkwardly, unsure if the teen's question was a joke or not.</p><p>"Elric spared you most likely because of the fact he refused to kill anyone. Questionable at times, but you turned out fine, for now." </p><p>Roy folded his arms and looked at the youngest member of the room with an intense stare.</p><p>"That being said, I will kill you if I have to."</p><p>"Good to know." Selim stared at the ground,  kicking his legs back and forth.</p><p>"If that's all you wanted to ask about, I'll call you guys moms and tell them where you two are. Elric and Rockbell can get you two in the morning."</p><p>Roy stood up and exited the room.</p><p>"I do have one more question, Mrs. Hawkeye." Selim faced the blonde woman on the couch.</p><p>"Go ahead." </p><p>"Who was Kimblee?"</p><p>Hawkeye sat up. "Well, he was a man I met when I served in the Ishvalan War. I didn't see him much afterwards, and he seemed to disappear completely after the Promised Day. I don't know what happened to him, but last thing anyone saw of him was his dying body on the floor, and you were around."</p><p>Selim thought about it.</p><p>"Strange."</p><p> </p><p>That night, instead of sleeping, Selim was sitting on the table in the living room, reading through his file that he definitely did not steal from Roy's office. He was using a flashlight so as to not wake the sleeping Elicia on the couch.</p><p>When he did finally go to sleep, he felt like he didn't get much sleep as his memories were finally coming back to him.</p><p> </p><p>The next day, he ran to Roy and Riza's room, shaking Riza awake.</p><p>"Hey. Hey. Hey Hawkeye." Riza grunted, not expecting to be woken up by the previously murderous teenager.</p><p>"What, Selim."</p><p>"I know what happened to Kimblee."</p><p>"..."</p><p>"I ate him, too. That's why I was able to force Fuhrer Mustang to do human transmutation." </p><p>Riza sat up, shaking her partner awake.</p><p>"Mustang wake up. I think Selim has his memories back."</p><p>"He what? How?"</p><p>Selim shrugged from his spot beside Riza's bed.</p><p>"Tonight was really the only night I wanted to think about my past. That's probably it."</p><p>"Well, use them in a positive manner and go home." Mustang was still processing this.</p><p>"I'll go wake up Elicia."</p><p>"He's definitely in a better mood." Mustang noted. "I would think that finally knowing just what you did in a previous life would be upsetting with how many people you've killed."</p><p>"The fact his voice is still echoing and void of emotion seems worrying. We'll need to check up on him a lot again." Hawkeye responded.</p><p>"Mm. Yes."</p><p> </p><p>The teens waited outside for Winry, Selim explaining to Elicia about his memories returning.</p><p>"You're awfully excited to know this."</p><p>"I seem excited huh? I'm pretty sure I hate myself now more than ever, but at least I know the truth about everything now." He answered, sitting against the wall in wait.</p><p>"If you say so." Elicia responded as Winry and Al pulled up.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>About time.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elicia and Selim were in the car, along with Winry and Al, and Winry's kids Maes and Trisha. Selim staring down at the floor while Elicia looked ahead. Maes and Trisha looked at each other, before tapping Elicia on the arm.</p><p>"Yes, Trisha?" Elicia snapped down suddenly, looking at the younger blonde.</p><p>"What's with him?" </p><p>"He's having a rough day."</p><p>"More like rough life." Selim grumbled back.</p><p>Trisha frowned, before Al got her attention from up front.</p><p>"Hey, Trisha. I'm gonna ask your father something important when we get to him. Do you want to learn alchemy?" Al asked, glancing behind his chair to his niece.</p><p>"Alchemy? Is that the spark magic I see you do sometimes?" Trisha asked, getting a nod from her uncle.</p><p>"How come Dad can't do that?" Maes asked.</p><p>"Maes, you know why." Trisha rolled her eyes at her brother. "We read it in that folder when we found out about Selim." </p><p>Al and Winry glanced at each other, before continuing.</p><p>"Mmhmm." Al responded.</p><p>"That'd be cool to learn." Trisha answered his question.</p><p> </p><p>The drive went silent as they headed back to Winry's house.</p><p> </p><p>At home, Winry dropped off her kids and Al and started off again.</p><p>"You two haven't been home in a few days, so I'm returning you to your mothers."</p><p>The kids nodded.</p><p> </p><p>Selim was dropped off first, mumbling a goodbye to Winry and Elicia as he opened up his door, entering the kitchen, his mother sipping tea, back to him.</p><p>"I'm home, Mother." Selim hid the strange echo that he had in his voice the past few days from his mother, trying to disguise how upset he was from someone who wasn't told about it until she was handed his baby form.</p><p>But still. She knew and didn't tell him.</p><p>"Oh, Selim dear, I didn't hear you come in. How was your stay?" Mrs. Bradley asked. She knew he had run off, but was choosing to let her son bring that up on his own.</p><p>"It was… fine." Selim sat down in the chair across from her. </p><p>"I see you got the jacket." Mrs. Bradley smiled at Selim, who responded with a forced one.</p><p>"I did. Thank you, Mother." The smile dropped quicker than Selim meant.</p><p>"Is there something wrong?" She asked, setting down her cup as she noticed Selim's flat tone.</p><p>"If you know something about someone that would change everything they knew, would you tell them?" Selim questioned his mother, eyes purple.</p><p>"I see." She sighed in response, taking another sip of her tea. "How do you feel about this?" </p><p>Selim groaned, but tried not to lash out at the only person he ever had emotions for. "Not well." He eventually responded in a matter of fact tone. "I'm surprised no one has tried to kill me yet. Fuhrer Mustang threatened me, and I'm pretty sure Maes and Trisha hate me. Elicia's faking, I'm sure of it." </p><p>"Why do you think that?" His mother questioned as Selim looked at her with a confused expression.</p><p>"Maes won't leave his sister's side even more than usual, and I… I almost attacked Elicia in the street. I don't blame her for hating me."</p><p>"Did you ever apologize to her?" Mrs. Bradley frowned as her son shook his head.</p><p>"I couldn't. I was too focused on thinking that she ruined my life looking for the folder on Pride." Selim sighed. "I don't think I should see them for a few… months…"</p><p>"Don't be silly, dear." She sipped her tea again. "I'm sure a break is what you four need, but it's not going to go on for that long. Your friends don't hate you."</p><p>Selim folded his arms. "The adults are scared of me, Mother." </p><p>"You just need time to adjust to the information." Mrs. Bradley responds.</p><p>She too was scared when Selim was handed back to her and an explanation for what happened was told, but she wasn't scared the same way Selim's friends were. She was more scared that Selim would get taken away, or like Mustang threatened, killed.</p><p>"Why don't we go into the other room and take our minds off things?" Mrs. Bradley suggested, standing up and walking over to Selim.</p><p>"Alright."</p><p>It was clear why she was the only human Pride had any affection for.</p><p> </p><p>Now sitting on the couch, Selim looked uneasy, and Mrs. Bradley easily guessed it was because of the guards that were once again in his home, even more than usual. He knew it was because he had gotten his memories back.</p><p>Mrs. Bradley glared at the guards for upsetting her son, but there wasn't much she could do about it. She was no longer the Fuhrer's partner (that honor goes to Riza).</p><p>"Are you hungry?" His mother soon asked, adjusting the jacket.</p><p>"Yeah." Selim answered, and his mother chuckled as if it was obvious. Though it was, since Selim is always hungry.</p><p>He used to think that was just a weird trait of his, but since he learned that he's like that because of devouring his brother, it's another thing he hates about himself. But hey, at least he's got a great sense of smell, right?</p><p>No, not good. That was also a pain to him sometimes, due to how strong smelling things already were. He could easily tell which of his classmates apparently played in the trash on their way over here.</p><p>Class. Was he even going back to school after all this? It was the end of the week when he stayed at Roy's place, then he stayed with Al, then Roy again before finally returning to his Mother. It was like a little nice vacation, where he found out everything he knew about himself was a lie. That'd be fun to think about while learning things he now already knows.</p><p>"Oh, Fuhrer Mustang doesn't want you going back to school. At least not for a while." It's as if his mother knew what he was thinking.</p><p>"Okay. I'll be here all day then." Selim was relieved, to be honest. He really didn't want to explain what he was doing on his "vacation."</p><p>Selim scooted closer to his mother, burying his face in her coat.</p><p>Yesterday, Selim was criticizing Elicia for her caring about him, even if Selim doesn't believe her, but here he was caring about his adoptive mother like she cared for him.</p><p>"Let's get you something to eat." His mother said, and Selim lifted his head to look up at her.</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>After they had something to eat, they went back to the couch, talking about the previous three days before they fell asleep.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Aimless walk.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Where will he go</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the afternoon, and Selim had been washing dishes. Due to the fact it was only him and his mother living there, there wasn’t that much, yet Selim had been there for a good bit. It was less that he was trying to get the dishes as clean as possible, which is what he had told his mother when she had entered the room earlier, questioning why he was still washing dishes, and more that he was still trying to process how messed up his life had gotten.</p><p>Years ago he was in a plot to help his “father” take over the world, or something like that. He pretended to be a 10 year old boy for around 300 years, and 15 years ago the plan was finally getting traction, as well as several problems, the main one being Maes and Trisha’s father and uncle, Edward and Alphonse Elric, as well as the new Fuhrer Mustang and his group. 15 years ago he revealed his true self to Hawkeye, 15 years ago he devoured his brother and someone who worked with them, 15 years ago Edward spared his life.</p><p>Selim gently placed a glass plate onto the table and stared at the reflection in it, watching his eyes fade into a purple color as shadowy arms emerged from his shirt. He shook his head and they vanished, along with his eyes returning to black. He ran a hand through his hair while sighing, before picking the plate back up and putting it up into the cabinet.</p><p>“Mother!” He called into the other room where his mother was sitting on a chair, reading a newspaper. “I’ve finished the dishes.”</p><p>Mrs. Bradley turned to face her son, now standing in the doorway of the kitchen, uneasily staring at the guards positioned in the room. He couldn’t see their eyes, but had the burning feeling that they were staring at him, to attack him, and he was having difficulty preventing his shadows from making themselves known.</p><p>“Oh, good, sweetie. Come and sit down, then.” Mrs. Bradley responded, patting the cushion beside her.</p><p>“Uhm, if you don’t mind, Mother, but I would like to go outside. Get some air.” Selim rubs the back of his head nervously, as if he was afraid of something.</p><p>Mrs. Bradley blinked in surprise, but nodded, and Selim quickly shuffled outside, trying to make as little eye contact with the guards in his home as possible. He was sorta lying, which hurt him to do so to someone who actually deeply cares about him, but he wasn’t sure if the guards would let him out had he told his mother where he was actually going.</p><p>It was 5 years since Selim was allowed outside his home, and people who recognized him had simply believed him to be another kid adopted by Mrs. Bradley, who for an unexplained reason looks just like the one who died. Selim would have thought that by now Mustang would have given an actual reason to his country about the “two Selims” but it wasn’t that important anymore. Sure, Selim had been talked about a lot by his peers in school, but that was because of his inhuman appearance and personal life.</p><p>Selim was not simply going out to his yard, but instead outside of it, climbing over the rather tall gate, not wanting to cause suspicion by opening it. He dropped over the other side, learning early in life that he had high damage resistance, and because of this made no attempt to break his fall in any way. Selim landed on his back, staring up at the sky as his body emitted small red sparks. His body was no longer a simple container, so he was now able to be injured like a human could, but his healing powers made quick work of it. It didn’t use up much of his stored energy, so he didn’t need to get any more from the nearby birds and squirrels.</p><p>Selim sat up, dusting off his sleeves and stood up, looking around, noticing that there were people walking by the gate that had just witnessed all of this. One person was about to question him, but the teenager quickly sprinted away before they could.</p><p>Selim wasn’t going anywhere in particular, he just wanted away from the guards and the yard wasn’t going to be enough. Walking down the streets, keeping himself low and not bringing attention to himself, he found the walk to be rather peaceful, and was currently waiting to cross the street.</p><p>Once he finally was able to, he went the same speed as the people in front of him, which wasn’t very fast, but not too slow. Before he knew it, a car swerved from the street he was crossing, and neither one could get out of the way, and the car hit Selim, knocking him down as the car kept going before crashing into a nearby tree.</p><p>Selim had been knocked onto his back, and with more effort than when he had fallen off the gate, he flipped over onto his hands and knees, coughing a little as people surrounded him and attempted to help the homunculus up.</p><p>It was kinda bothersome for people to feel the need to help him up and even more so having to go along with it seeing as he was supposed to be acting like a regular human. He may know he’s a homunculus, but no one else does. It was just like how it was before his life was restarted.</p><p>Of course, his “friends” know as well, but right now he’d rather not think about them.</p><p>“Ah, thank you…” Selim grumbled out in his most innocent voice while also giving the impression that the car that hit him had actually hurt him.</p><p>Well, that wasn’t as hard to fake. He was feeling pain from the car, but due to his body automatically healing him it mainly registered as being disoriented. This time around was using way more of his stored energy, so that when he was alone he’d most likely need to gather some more.</p><p>“Here, we’ll call the hospital for you.” A man who was helping Selim stand up said, before Selim shook his head, before regretting the quick motion and holding a hand to it.</p><p>“No, no I’m fine.” Last thing he wanted was being admitted to the hospital and the doctor finding out he’s not a real human. To be honest, he was kind of getting sick of having to hide what he was, but until Mustang said it was okay, he’d have to. He doubted that Elicia had said anything to anyone, not even her mother, so why should he?</p><p>Or, maybe she did.</p><p>“Are you sure? That looked like it hurt.” </p><p>Selim jerked his arm away from the man, before gesturing to the crashed vehicle with the man inside it that had yet to get out. “I think he’s more important.”</p><p>Everyone looked to where Selim was pointing to, and when they looked back down at him, he was gone.</p><p> </p><p>He was glad to be out of that situation. Had it lasted any longer, he’d probably bite someone.</p><p>Selim was back to aimless walking, his attention being drawn to his dirty sleeves and scuffed up legs and face. His hair was also more messy than usual, and unless he did something his mom would suspect something happened to him while he was “in his yard.” But there wasn’t really much he could do about it, so he tried to take his mind off of it and continued his walk, wary of any more streets.</p><p>On his aimless walk, Selim had somehow managed to walk into the graveyard, pausing after a few moments once he had realized. Scanning the graveyard, he found it to be mostly empty, save for two figures further up ahead. It didn’t take long to realize that it was Elicia and her mother, visiting Elicia’s father’s grave. </p><p>Selim sighed as he looked down. He only knew that her father had died as she had told him a few years back. Apparently she felt like she could trust him with the knowledge, which he would have ended up finding out a few years later regardless if she had told or not.</p><p>The homunculus stood there, debating whether or not he should go talk to her. He quickly realized that no matter his choice, he had no actual reason to be in the graveyard in the first place.</p><p>Which is why he was currently looking to see if Bradley had gotten a grave here, even though he couldn't really read with what the graves had said. Selim wasn’t sure if Elicia knew his opinion on the old Fuhrer, which wouldn’t make his excuse of visiting his grave hold water if she knew he wanted nothing to do with him, clear by the fact he refuses to call him his brother or father.</p><p>The more the teen had glanced in her direction, the less he was sure if he wanted to have a conversation with either of them. His mother suggested a break between them, and Selim had agreed to it. So, without drawing attention to himself, he quickly turned around and left.</p><p> </p><p>The sky was getting darker, but Selim really didn’t feel like going back home. He was pretty sure his mother realized that he was no longer home, and wanted to put off the yelling he was most likely to receive from her.</p><p>An unusual, yet familiar smell broke him out of his thoughts. The source of it was a good distance away, but he wasn’t surprised that he could still smell it. Following the smell led him to a dead squirrel in the middle of the street. Before he even reached it, he could tell that the smell he was tracking was blood and something dead, but he had continued anyway. Glancing around, the body was quickly overtaken by shadows, disappearing as the teen walked away.</p><p>“Excuse me.” Selim froze as he heard a voice behind him, fearing that whoever it was had spotted him eating the squirrel.</p><p>However, the voice was incredibly familiar sounding, making him relax almost as soon as he had tensed up.</p><p>Turning around, he looked up to see Elicia.</p><p>“Oh, hey.” Selim nervously greeted her.</p><p>Elicia folded her arms, clearly unamused about the situation.</p><p>“Why have you been avoiding us?” Selim had never told his friends that he felt it best they stop talking.</p><p>“Uhm, how’d you even know I was over here?” He questioned.</p><p>“I saw you in the graveyard earlier and followed you here. I don’t think I want to know why you were there, either, seeing that you can't read anything they say.” She responded. “Now answer the question.”</p><p>“I just felt it best to not hang out with you guys anymore, and so did my mom. I nearly killed you, Elicia, and Maes hates me.”</p><p>Elicia rolled her eyes. “Golden Boy doesn’t hate you. You know how protective he is of his sister. He’s mellowed out a little bit since you left though, due to her learning alchemy.”</p><p>“She’s actually learning it?” He asked. “Good for her.”</p><p>“What are you even doing out here? Were you just visiting the graveyard?”</p><p>Selim shook his head. “No, I was just getting out of the house. There’s even more guards in my house than before, so I was clearing my head… hey, did you know that I almost got hit by a car before my life restart? Well earlier I did get hit by a car. It’s a miracle I managed to get out of them without them realizing I’m not human.”</p><p>Elicia looked at him in confusion, unsure how he could be making a joke of it. Though, seeing as he clearly wasn't injured from it, it made more sense.</p><p>Selim sighed and backed away from the older teenager.</p><p>“Look, Elicia, I still need some time to myself to think about my life. Maybe in a few weeks we can hang out again, okay?” Selim said, before turning around and walking away from the teenager.</p><p> </p><p>Back at the gate of his house, he sighed and began to climb back over the fence.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Meeting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Your presence is required.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Selim was sitting at the dining room table, apparently feeling the need to do so after he lied to his mother even after she informed him that it was fine. He had a fork, and had been tapping on the table as he couldn’t pass the time by reading, not gaining the ability to read for an unknown reason when he had gotten the rest of his memories back.</p><p>He tapped the fork twice, paused for a moment, and tapped again.</p><p>Selim wasn’t sure why he was tapping this specific code, but it was all that was coming to him at the moment.</p><p>His mother poked her head into the room, walking over to her son and silencing his tapping by taking the fork out of his hand.</p><p>“Selim, dear, I told you that you didn’t need to stay in here. I understand why you snuck out, and it’s okay as long as you tell me if you are going to do that again.”</p><p>“Yes, Mother.” The homunculus responded, looking down at the floor for a moment, before continuing to speak. “May I go to my room?” He asked, and Mrs. Bradley nodded.</p><p>Selim stood up and hugged his mother, before going up to his room and lying on his bed face down. His shadows seeped around the room, as Selim really didn’t care if they were out.</p><p>“Oh, Selim! I forgot to tell you, but the Fuhrer wants to see you later!”</p><p>“Okay, Mother!” He called back to her, rolling onto his back before sitting up. What possible reason could Mustang want with him? Yes, he’s had checkups before, but Selim himself never attended them. His mother did, while he was to be watched by Hawkeye.</p><p>He requested him “later,” so it seems like Selim had some time to kill.</p><p>Selim slid out of bed, stretching as his shadows disappeared and his eyes faded to black. He walked over to a window, sighing as he stared out into the yard. He really did miss his friends, but he felt like he shouldn’t be around them.</p><p>He ended up staring out the window longer than anticipated, as his mother called him down for his meeting with Mustang.</p><p>“Do you want me to drive you there, or do you want to walk there?” Mrs. Bradley asked, putting her hands on her son’s shoulders.</p><p>“I-I… I think I’ll walk there.” Selim responded hesitantly, looking down at the floor.</p><p>“Okay, sweetie. Whatever you want.” Had Selim not had already known her care was genuine, he would have suspected differently about that statement. </p><p>“Thank you, Mother.” He smiled up at her, before waving and exiting the house, hands in his pockets.</p><p>This time, when he approached the gate, he took the time to actually open it instead of climbing it like last time.</p><p>He looked where he was going, not wanting to get hit by another car and have to sneak his way out again. Some people ignored him, some questioned why he was roaming around, his short stature making people think he’s younger than he is.</p><p>Eventually, Selim reached the building he was heading for, and went up to Mustang’s office, knocking on the door upon arrival.</p><p>“Come in.”</p><p>Selim opened the door, walked in, and sat on the chair in front of Mustang’s desk, folding his arms and staring up at the adult.</p><p>“You wanted to see me?”</p><p>Mustang nodded, stacking the papers on his desk before speaking.</p><p>“I wanted to talk to you about yesterday. You’re lucky you weren’t found out.”</p><p>Selim sighed. He had forgotten about his conversation with Elicia. Why wouldn’t she have shared it with someone who knew?</p><p>“What, about my being hit by a car?” Selim asked, sitting up in the chair.</p><p>“And you falling off a gate.” Mustang added. “Do you simply not care anymore? Not everyone will treat you like Mrs. Bradley.”</p><p>“I care, I just… Why does it matter? It’s not like these people know about the homunculi. They don’t know how bad we were.”</p><p>“I am still unsure on how the people will act. But until then, try to keep yourself out of harm’s way. You may go now.”</p><p> </p><p>Selim walked out the room, rubbing the back of his head as he stepped out the building door. After a few moments on walking back, he bumped into someone, nearly knocking himself down. He looked up, seeing two adult men talking with Alphonse. Selim’s attention went to the younger man first, standing up and greeting him.</p><p>“Hey, Alphonse. I didn’t know you were in Central.” </p><p>Al seemed to be surprised at Selim’s voice, as if he hadn’t noticed the teenager.</p><p>“Oh, hey Selim. Yeah, I’m visiting Darius and Henkiel. They’re in town today too.” Al glanced at the men, then back at Selim. “Do you remember them?”</p><p>Selim turned and looked at them, studying them a little before speaking. “I think so. They’re chimeras, aren’t they?”</p><p>“Yes, they are.”</p><p>“So this is what he’s like now? He doesn’t seem any bigger than when we fought him all those years ago.”</p><p>Selim said nothing, but simply growled at the two, trying not to let his shadows out in a public place, especially after Mustang got on his case about it.</p><p>“Oh, you know how it is. Well, I guess you two don’t.” Selim thought for a moment before counting to speak. “Hey, didn’t I almost kill one of you guys?” Selim questioned, and Henkiel responded that it had been him.</p><p>“Well, it was nice to catch up, but Mother is waiting for me back at home.” Selim pushed past the adults as he ran off.</p><p>He opened the gate and then he opened his door, finding his mother asleep on the couch. He nudged her gently, and she stirred, looking up at her son.</p><p>“Do you want to go lay down?” He asked her, sitting up.</p><p>“Oh, no, dear. I was waiting for you to get back, guess I fell asleep, silly me.” Mrs. Bradley sat up, patting the spot beside her. “What took you so long, if you don’t mind my asking?”</p><p>Selim sat down next to her, leaning against the couch. “Oh, I ran into Al and some old friends. Like, ‘pre life restart, almost killed one of them’ old friends.”</p><p>“Oh, uhm, good for you, sweetie. Let’s get you something to eat, huh? I bet you’re hungry.” Mrs. Bradley stood up, and Selim followed her, confirming her theory.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Reunite.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Selim and his mother were sitting on their couch, having done not much recently. Selim was still hesitant to visit his friends, and Mrs. Bradley was concerned for him. Ed's jacket had been placed atop him like a blanket.</p><p>“Selim, do you want to visit your friends today?” She asked, breaking the silence, and jolting a dozing Selim awake, eyes bright purple as a shadow whipped out and took a chunk out of a chair.</p><p>“Sorry, Mother. I didn’t mean to do that.” Selim looked away from Mrs. Bradley, eyes fading to black as the shadow disappeared. Or went into him.</p><p>"It's… alright, dear." Mrs. Bradley paused, looking at the missing chunk of the chair across the room. If she was remembering correctly, her son had just accidentally eaten a part of the chair.</p><p>Strange.</p><p>Turning back to him, she put a hand atop his messy black hair, patting him gently.</p><p>"Now, what do you say?" She asked, referring to her earlier question.</p><p>Selim stared back at her, looking like he was having a lot of difficulty making eye contact with her.</p><p>"I guess I'm ready to see them again." He responded, finally giving in and looking down at the floor.</p><p>After making sure that this is what Selim wanted to do, Mrs. Bradley called up Gracia and Winry, asking if they were wanting to visit and to bring their kids. They agreed, and the two went outside at the table.</p><p> </p><p>Mrs. Bradley sipped her tea, already in a conversation with the other moms before Winry had even sat down.</p><p>Selim, as usual, was out in the open part of the yard, though this time, he was accompanied by Elicia, Maes, and Trisha.</p><p>He was having trouble talking with them, much less even looking at them.</p><p>"So, how have you been?" Elicia started the conversation, seemingly aware that Selim sure wasn't going to.</p><p>"I've been… okay." Selim responded. It was a lie, but it would have been a bigger lie had he said anything more positive than that.</p><p>"That's good." Trisha replied. Apparently she couldn't tell. </p><p>"Thank you, Trisha." Selim continued his lying. "What have you guys been up to?"</p><p>"I've been learning alchemy! I'm pretty good at it." She glanced around, before looking at Selim. "You got anything solid in your house I can write on?" </p><p>Selim thought about it, eyes changing to purple as he stretched out a shadow inside his home, digging around the kitchen before bringing back a broken book. It was just the cover, ripped off an old book neither one of the residents read anymore. They weren't sure what had happened to it, however.</p><p>Of course, being dragged back in the mouth of his shadow, it now had teeth marks on it.</p><p>"Can you use this?" Purple to black, Selim held up the book cover from where his shadow used to be, handing it over to Trisha when she reached for it.</p><p>"Mmhmm. I just need something to transmute now." Her blue eyes looked back to Selim, whose unamused expression let her know that he knew what she wanted him to do.</p><p>After digging around in his home again, he brought out a sword, taking it from his shadow once more to hold it up.</p><p>"Isn't that your father's sword? Don't you wanna keep it?" Maes asked, tilting his head like a confused dog.</p><p>"No, not particularly. And don't call him my father." Selim responded, turning back to Trisha. "Can you use this?" </p><p>"Maybe just the hilt. You might want to use the blade for something else. Not sure what, since you're dangerous enough…" Trisha mumbled that last part, inaudible to Selim, who was trying to pull the blade off the hilt.</p><p>"Selim, you're going to cut yourself." Elicia spoke a moment too soon, as Selim hissed at the blade for slicing his hand open.</p><p>It crackled with red, and the injury was gone. It's fun to have healing powers, something Elicia had forgotten about him.</p><p>"Maybe you could try cutting it?" Maes suggested, before Selim held up the sword uncomfortably close to his own face.</p><p>There was a crunching sound, and Selim handed the hilt over to Trisha, having just decided to bite the blade and hilt apart.</p><p>"Or just do that." Elicia voiced Maes' thought.</p><p>"What are you going to do with the blade? Give it to your mom?" Maes questioned him, getting a shrug in response from the homunculus.</p><p>Selim bit the sword with another crunch, chewing it while Trisha drew the alchemy circle on the book, glaring at Selim for choosing now to demonstrate that his eating habits had certainly not changed.</p><p>"I'm hungry." Was the flat response, getting an eye roll from Trisha.</p><p>"You're always hungry. Just. Keep it quiet, okay?" She responded, going back to her show.</p><p>After performing similar moves to her uncle when he was showing her alchemy, bright blue flashes shone around the circle, and the once wooden hilt now appeared to be some sort of wooden horse.</p><p>Trisha allowed her brother and Elicia to hold and inspect her creation, but only allowed Selim to view it if someone else had been holding it, afraid that he'd try to eat it, like the sword blade he had just finished.</p><p>The younger sibling stood up after her friends got to see the horse, and she ran off to show her mother, and her brother soon followed after to show how proud he was of his little sister.</p><p>After the two were gone, Elicia attempted to start a conversation, something hard to do when the other person flops onto their back, not looking at you. His coat was sprawled on the grass like an oddly shaped picnic blanket. It seemed like Selim was determined not to talk to her. He hadn't really talked to any of them on his own, simply responding to questions or statements directed at him.</p><p>"I accidentally ate part of a chair today." </p><p>Or, maybe he was just trying to get used to it again.</p><p>"You did? How'd that happen?" Elicia hoped she didn't sound like she was asking a baby how they did something pretty basic.</p><p>Selim wasn't a baby, and what he did wasn't basic at all. Luckily for her, however, Selim didn't know how you talk to babies, so there ended up not much to be worried about.</p><p>"Mother woke me up, startled me a little."</p><p>"A little? I don't think being startled a little ends up with half a chair gone." Elicia teased, the tone of the conversation starting to mirror Maes and Trishia's sibling teasing sessions. </p><p>Elicia's head was jerked forward as a shadow shoved her from behind, and she looked down at Selim, still on the floor, still looking away. Though now it just looks like he didn't want to be caught with purple eyes, despite being the only one with shadow manipulation powers.</p><p>"Shut it, Hughes." Selim had paired this little command with the earlier smacking, though Elicia could tell in his voice that he was still in a good mood and having fun.</p><p> </p><p>Soon, Gracia and Winry had to return home, and so did their kids. Saying their goodbyes, and that they'll start hanging out more, the Bradleys returned inside, soon falling asleep on the couch, something that was quickly becoming common habit.</p>
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